Segun Toriola Is First African Athlete To Feature In 7th Olympic Games

Africa’s most decorated table tennis player, Nigeria’s Segun Toriola has become the first athlete in the continent to qualify for his seventh appearance at the Olympic Games.

The former African champion secured his place at the ITTF Africa Olympics Qualification Tournament held in Khartoum, Sudan following his victory 4-0 over Togo’s Mawussi Agbetoglo in the final qualification stage.

Toriola debuted at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in Spain and since then he has been participating at the Olympics and his presence at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games makes the first athlete in Africa to play at the multi-sports

Also he held the record as the most successful African table tennis player at the Olympics when he made it to the fourth round of the men’s singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China.

Also, individually, Toriola has won more 20 gold medals for Nigeria at international competitions which include African and Commonwealth Games as well as series of continental championships.

From four consecutive editions of the Africa Games, Toriola dominated the men’s singles event claiming gold medals at Harare 1995, Johannesburg 1999, Abuja 2003 and Algiers 2007 being the first athlete to achieve such feat.

Segun Toriola
QOROS 2015 World Table Tennis Championships,26 Apr 2015 – 03 May 2015, Suzhou, CHN, photo credit ITTF Media

An elated Toriola said: “I am very happy and so excited because I never believe I could be playing in my seventh Olympics of my career. I am happy that I made history as the first African to achieve this feat. It was a bit difficult for me because I played under a lot of pressure. I knew it was going to be easy because I was the favourite before the competition, but I was cautions as most of the players wanted to beat me. I ensured I was not too confident in all my matches and I played with a lot of caution. I am glad that I made it and I hope to now focus on the preparation which is vital to me as well.

ITTF World Tour: Aruna Quadri Wins In Singles, Doubles At Croatia Open

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri was in superb form on Thursday at the ongoing ITTF World Tour tagged Croatia Open as the Oyo State-born athlete won his first round matches in the men’s singles and doubles event of the five-day tournament.

Having seeded number five in the singles, Aruna Quadri wasted no time in dismissing France’s Alexandre Cassin 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 to secure his place in the second round of the $35,000 prize money tournament holding in Zagreb.

Aruna Quadri, credit ITTFMEDIA

In men’s doubles, Quadri partnered Portugal’s Andre Silva to defeat Bulgaria’s Denislav Kodjabashev and Petyo Krastev 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8 to secure their place in the quarterfinal.

They are expected to tackle Poland’s Jakub Dyjas and Konrad Kulpa in one of the quarterfinal matches of the championship.

The only other African player in the championship, Togo’s Mawussi Agbetoglo has been shown the exit in the preliminary round of the men’s singles.

Aruna Quadri Joins French Club, Listed For ITTF World Tour In Croatia

In an effort to improve his game as well as to rub shoulders with the world’s best, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri has signed for a French Club in the lucrative France Table Tennis Federation (FTTF)-organised elite league.

Quadri, who started his professional career in Portugal in 2010 and thrice named the best player in the Portuguese League, will play for Jura Morez TT next season.

Before joining GD Toledos two years ago, Quadri started with AR Novelense and with the two Portuguese clubs he won the league, super cup and the Mediterranean trophy.

Aruna Quadri with former GD Toledos teammates after winning the Portuguese Cup title

Being one of the best leagues in the world, the French league has some of the world’s best players like World number 10 and Portugal’s Marcos Freitas plying their trade in the league.

Jura Morez TT emerged champions during the 2013/2014 season in Pro B to gain promotion to the top division and they retained their place in the elite league where Quadri will be playing his trade.

The deal was formally concluded during a recent trip by Quadri to Paris, where he met with the management of the team and also used the opportunity to inspect the club facilities.

Quadri was well received by the management of the club led by its chairman and Secretary, G. Philippe and M. Gilles.

With this development, Quadri will join his compatriot and Africa’s most decorated player, Segun Toriola who has been plying his trade in the French league for years.

Meanwhile, Quadri will return to the ITTF World Tour this week in Zagreb, when he takes part in the Croatia Open.

Quadri and Mawussi Agbetoglo are Africa’s representatives at the five-day tournament and the Oyo State-born athlete will partner Portugal’s Andre Silva in the men’s doubles event, which serves off Tuesday May 19.

The Multiple Award winning table tennis player as also recently signed an improved deal with Germany-based table tennis kit giants JOOLA. This event took place in Frankfurt recently.

Quadri Aruna (left) with JOOLA Managing Director, Michael Bachtler during the signing of an improved contract with the Germany-based kit giant in Frankfurt…recently

Quadri is pictured here with JOOLA Managing Director, Michael Bachtler during the signing of an improved contract with the JOOLA

ITTF WORLD TOUR (LAGOS OPEN) DAY 4

Winner International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, Men’s Under21 Shagdy Magdy of Egypt

The Round of 16, Quarter Finals and Semi-finals of games (Singles & Doubles) went down today at the Dr.Molade Okoya Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

There were lots exciting moments to savour as Table Tennis supporters from far and wide came to watch the best players in Africa and in the world do their thing.

Nigerian Athletes have proven their worth as Ojo Onaolapo, Aruna Quadri, Funke Oshonaike and Edem Effiong have all made it to the semi-finals in the singles event.

The future also look good for Nigeria as far as table tennis is concerned as we saw a scintillating performance from Hassan Nurudeen who seems to be getting better as the day goes by and who might end up winning the U-21 title next year.

Dina Meshref at the International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Togo

The Foreign players have also put up fine displays in this tournament like Jieni Shao, Dina Meshref, Andre Silva, El-Belaili Mohammed.

DAY 4

RESULTS(Doubles)

MEN

QUARTER FINAL

* A.Silva & D.Siva def A.Ogunalade & O.Omotayo (3-1)

* K.Assar & O. Assar def O.Guinganfode & M.Olabiyi (3-0)

* El-Beiali & S.Magdy def M.Fathy & A.Mabrouk (3-0)

* Q.Aruna & M.Kazeem def O.Onaolaopo & B.Oyeniyan (3-1)

SEMI-FINAL

* A.Silva & D.Silva def K.Assar & O.Assar (3-1)

* Q. Aruna & M.Kazeem def El-Beiali & S.Magdy (3-2)

WOMEN

QUARTER FINAL

*D.Meshref & J.Shao def F.Ajala & N.Aroyehun (3-1)

*G.Nasser & Y.Helmy def R.Oguindele & E.Oribamise (3-0)

*C.Akpan & O.Edem def F.Abdel-Aziz & F.Alaa(3-0)

*O.Atinuke & I.Ermakova def F.Bello & A.Odusanya (3-1)

SEMI- FINAL

* D.Meshref & J.Shao def G.Nasser & Y.Helmy (3-2)

* C.Akpan & O.Edem def O.Atinuke & I.Ermakova (3-2)

SINGLES

Round of 16

MEN

* El-Beiali def N.Hassan (4-2)

* O.Onaolapo def M.Babatunde (4-1)

*M.Kazeem def O.Olaniyi (4-2)

* Q.Haruna def H.Adeyinka (4-0)

* A.Silva def A.Fagbamila (4-0)

* K.Assar def D.Silva (4-3)

* B.Oyeniyan def S.Ramadan (4-2)

* O.Assar def M.Fathy (4-0)

International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Togo

QUARTER-FINAL

* Q.Aruna def M.Kazeem (4-0)

* O.Onaolapo def El-Beiali (4-2)

* O.Assar def B.Oyeniyan (4-1)

* A.Silav def K.Assar. (4-1)

Funke Oshonaike, International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Togo

WOMEN

QUARTER FINAL

*D.Meshref def Y.Helmy (4-0)

* O.Edem def J.Effiom (4-0)

* O.Oshonaike def G.Nasser (4-3)

* J.Shao def I. Ermakova (4-0)

FIXTURES

MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL

*A.Silva & D.Silava vs Q.Aruna & M.Kazeem

WOMEN’S DOUBLES FINAL

* D.Meshref & J.Shao vs C.Akpan vs O.Edem

Winner International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, Men’s Under21 Shagdy Magdy of Egypt

MEN’S SINGLES

SEMI- FINAL

* Q.Aruna vs O.Onaolapo

* O.Assar vs A. Silva

WOMENS SINGLES

SEMI-FINAL

* D.Meshref vs O.Edem

* O.Oshonaike vs J.Shao.

Lagos ITTF World Tour: Quadri, Meshref Are Top Seeds

As the highest world-rated players listed for the competition, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri and Egypt’s Dina Meshref have been seeded the top players in the men and women singles events of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour tagged Lagos Open.

In the seeding list released by the world table tennis ruling body, ITTF, Quadri who is rated 32 in the world is seeded number one while his arch-rival and defending champion, Egypt’s Omar Assar is seeded number two while Assar’s compatriot, Mohammed El-Beiali is number three.

The absence of Nigeria’s Segun Toriola may have paved the way for El-Beiali, who accounted for Quadri’s exit in the quarterfinal stage of the ITTF Africa Senior Championships to be seeded number three in the tournament.

Also listed in the top eight seeding list of the men’s singles are Portugal’s Andre Silva, Nigeria’s Boboye Oyeniyan, Egypt’s Khalid Assar, Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo and Togo’s Mawussi Agbetoglo.

Last year’s runner’s up and ITTF Africa Senior Championship winner, Meshref tops the women’s top four seeding list. Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong are seeded two and three respectively, while Russia’s Irina Ermakova is seeded fourth.

In the U-21 seeding, defending champion in the boys’ category, Nigeria’s Onaolapo is seeded number one, while other players listed in the top four seeding list are Egypt’s duo of Shady Magdy and Mahmoud Fathy as well as Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo.

Nigerian Women’s Team, at the 2015 ITTF-Africa Senior Championships

Egypt dominated the girls’ U-21 seeding with 20 year-old Meshref topping the seeding list. Her compatriots – Fatma Alaa and Yousra Helmy also made the list while the only Nigerian in the top four seeding list is Funke Hassan.

Meanwhile, over 90 journalists drawn from newspapers, magazine, radio and television stations including two international media, Supersport and Xinhua have been accredited for the championship serving off on March 10 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.